Norway has selected the Spanish Bazan yard to build five new frigates ($1.2 billion) over a bid from the German yard Blomm & Voss. The five ships will be delivered in 2005-2009. Each will carry the US-built SPY-1F aegis radar system. Designed for anti-submarine work, the ships will also have anti-ship and anti-aircraft weapons. The 5,000 ton vessels will be the first Norwegian warships to carry helicopters. --Stephen V Cole
